Apple TV pundit Taylor Twellman has claimed Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi won’t win the MLS MVP award this season.
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is rewarded at the end of every season for the player who has performed best in MLS, with players, coaches and journalists all voting.
Last season saw FC Cincinnati forward Luciano Acosta win the award, with previous recipients including David Villa, Sebastian Giovinco and Robbie Keane, with Messi the favorite this year.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi ruled out of MLS MVP contention
Yet speaking on This is MLS, pundit Twellman has tempered expectations that Messi will win the award this season, in large part due to how long the attacker could be absent this summer.
The Argentine international could miss as many as 12 games if Messi competes in the Copa America and Olympics, as well as next month’s international friendlies, and this could all affect the forward’s chances of winning MLS MVP.
Twellman said: “Naturally, Messi is the favorite to win MVP if you talk to anyone around the game. But inside MLS, because of the Olympics and the Copa America, he might not play ten games or even 12 games.
“He’s not the favorite. I think Cucho Hernandez, Diego Rossi, Luciano Acosta could reclaim it, there’s going to be a lot of players who could have better statistical years who can do better than Lionel Messi.”
Lionel Messi brilliance will make soccer legend MVP winner
Twellman’s point of Messi missing a large number of games is a valid one, with the Argentine realistically set to miss a third of the regular season due to international commitments.
Yet it’s easy to forget who we’re talking about here, with Messi arguably the greatest soccer player ever and an attacker who is still at the peak of his superhuman powers.
Whilst Messi will miss games, it doesn’t mean the forward won’t deliver when needed, with Inter Miami MLS Cup favorites because of the former FC Barcelona legend.